I believe in right and wrong. I believe in gray areas, but would argue that what is right and what feels right are less often the difficult decisions that many others think they are. I believe that my particular disclipline is different from that of others in that my cases are not simply my work. My cases are all very important to my clients, and they are important to me. I cannot leave my work at the door of my office when I eventually leave at night. In almost every case, my clients' freedom is...

Joshua Brownlee is a native of Georgia. Mr. Brownlee received his B.A. from Georgia State University and his J.D. from John Marshall Law School. While at John Marshall, Mr. Brownlee was a member of the school's mock trial team. Mr. Brownlee was the recipient of the 2009-2010 Judge Harold R. Banke Advocacy Award for outstanding performance on the mock trial team. Throughout law school, Mr. Brownlee dedicated himself to protecting indigent rights by volunteering at both the Metro Conflict Defender Office and DeKalb County Public Defender's Office. During this time, Mr. Brownlee had the opportunity to sit...

The Hirsch Firm, P.C., located in Atlanta, Georgia is primarily a criminal defense trial practice law firm. From criminal offenses such as drunk driving and other less severe traffic offenses, theft crimes, assault and battery, drug offenses, domestic violence charges and many others, I can help you. For over 10 years I have defended adults and children in a wide range of felony and misdemeanor criminal matters in Superior Court, State Court, Juvenile Court, and Municipal/Traffic Court. Getting arrested effects everyone. And, if you get arrested or find yourself under investigation, you need to know your legal...

Marco A. Corales is an Atlanta attorney that specializes in protecting the rights of those accused of crimes. A native of Miami, Florida, he graduated cum laude from Florida International University before attending the Wake Forest University School of Law in North Carolina. At Wake Forest, in addition to his core legal studies, he gained valuable practical experience by interning for the Forsyth County Chief District Court Judge and the District Attorney’s Office. He graduated with a Juris Doctor degree in 2005, earning the North Carolina Advocates for Justice Award for excellence in trial practice. After...

Tunde Akinyele has been practicing law in the Metropolitan Atlanta area for the past 13 years. He is a former Senior Assistant District Attorney with the DeKalb County District Attorney's office, where he handled serious criminal offenses including burglaries, armed robberies, sexual assault cases, crimes against children, white collar, and homicide cases. Tunde is an experienced trial lawyer and will aggressively defend your rights, with a strong criminal practice, including traffic offenses, misdemeanors, DUI, minor and major drug offenses, and minor and major felony cases.
Our firm also has an immigration practice, including Family...

S. Derek Gage has been practicing in the Atlanta metro area as a criminal defense trial lawyer for well over a decade. Specializing in criminal and probate commitment cases involving mental illness and mental health challenges, Mr. Gage focuses on putting his clients on a path where they may safely leave the criminal justice system and other institutionalized environments and successfully manage their mental health challenges with pride and dignity. Mr. Gage practices in all metro Atlanta counties and beyond, including Fulton, DeKalb, Douglas, Gwinnett, Cobb, Clayton, Henry, and Hall.

Attorney Scott Fortas has been practicing law in the state of Georgia since 1999. He founded the Fortas Law Group in 2006 to provide legal assistance to those in need of traffic ticket, speeding ticket and criminal defense including all moving traffic violations. Mr. Fortas has successfully litigated and settled hundreds of criminal, lemon law and auto fraud cases and claims for Georgia consumers in courts across the state of Georgia. Mr. Fortas managed the Georgia division of Krohn and Moss, Ltd. from 1999-2005 prior to forming The Fortas Law Group, a criminal defense, lemon law and auto...

Atlanta DUI Attorney Richard S. Lawson has dedicated his professional career to protecting the rights, freedoms, and futures of individuals charged with driving under the influence (DUI). With nearly two decades of experience, Mr. Lawson is capable of handling the full range of DUI charges, including challenging allegations involving multiple DUIs, felony DUIs, and underage DUIs. His insight as a former DUI prosecutor allows him to understand the “other side,” and has proven to be a driving force behind his ability to resolve nearly 5,000 DUI cases. If you or your loved one is charged with a DUI in Atlanta...

What distinguishes Jill G. Polster from many criminal defense attorneys is her experience both as a prosecutor and as a defense attorney. Ms. Polster's legal career began while she was still in law school when she was selected to clerk for one of the most well-respected criminal defense firms in the state -- The Steel Law Firm. She learned from the best that the key to defending criminal cases is thorough preparation. Throughout her more than ten years of legal practice, Ms. Polster's track record speaks for itself. As a public defender in Fulton County, Polster lost only one jury...

Andrew R. Lynch discovered his calling as a criminal defense attorney while attending the University of Georgia. During his senior year of college, a close family member was investigated, arrested, and tried for a felony drug charge. Andrew witnessed firsthand the effect criminal charges can have on the accused and their family. This experience inspired him to pursue his legal education at Georgia State University College of Law.
Andrew graduated cum laude from Georgia State University College of Law with overall academic honors and top honors in litigation and advanced criminal procedure. Additionally,...

Villard Bastien, licensed in Georgia, New York and New Jersey, has been a Litigation Attorney for more than sixteen years. He was first exposed to the practice of law at the District Attorney's Office in Queens New York. Prior to actively practicing law he worked on the claims side of the insurance industry for three years. He continued to practice for various insurance carriers and various defense firms as an Attorney. The past seven years have been mainly dedicated to the representation of individuals seriously injured as a result of the negligence of others. He also represents individuals for...

Melanie is a results-driven DUI and criminal defense attorney. Her unique experience as a prosecutor, defense attorney and judicial candidate have provided her the knowledge and insight to contest her clients’ cases aggressively.

As founder of The Castaneda Law Firm, P.C. , Johnny R. Castaneda has been practicing law in the areas of criminal law, family law, personal injury and workers' compensation law since 1999. Mr. Castaneda is a graduate of John Marshall Law School in Atlanta Georgia. Mr. Castaneda has a B.S.B.A. degree from Colorado State University (Pueblo, CO) and an MBA from Cleveland State University (Cleveland, OH). His practice has successfully secured favorable resolutions in criminal law, family law, personal injury and Workers' Compensation cases.
Mr. Castaneda has handled thousands of cases. He has taken cases from the beginning to resolution. On...

Evan Watson is a criminal defense trial lawyer specializing in DUI, drug, and theft offenses. In his 8 years as a member of the Georgia Bar, Evan has represented hundreds of clients successfully in the Municipal, State and Superior Courts throughout Georgia.

Member of the American Bar Association
Member of GACDL (Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers)
Member of GAWL (Georgia Association of Women Lawyers)
Member of NCDD (National College of DUI Defense)
Completion of 24 hour DUI Detection & Standardized Field Sobriety Testing under the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, 2009
Completion of DUI Detection & Standardized Field Sobriety Instructor Course under the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2009
Completion of the Bill Daniel’s Trial Advocacy Program under GACDL (Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers), 2009

Allen Yates is a partner at Giannini & Yates Attorneys who previously represented large corporations. After a few years of work experience, he decided to change his focus and help individuals who have been charged with crimes. This transition has proven to be a success for Allen Yates as he uses his skills and knowledge to defend citizens who have incurred a loss of constitutional rights or face criminal charges. Mr. Yates is an experienced attorney who understands the court system, judges and prosecution. Allen Yates is an experienced attorney who holds many membership responsibilities, Allen is a member of...

I have been specializing in criminal law for 20 years, the first 7 years as a prosecutor. For the last 13 years, I have been defending individuals charged with crimes ranging from misdemeanors and traffic offenses to serious violent felonies.

A premier DUI lawyer and criminal defense attorney in the Georgia, Cory E. Yager is a senior associate at William C. Head, PC of Atlanta, and went on to receive his J.D. from John Marshall Law School, graduating second in his law school class. Mr. Yager has been named to SuperLawyers Rising Stars in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015. He has won numerous awards from Georgia DODD (a think tank of Georgia's top DUI attorneys). Mr. Yager's backgound in law enforcement gives him a special edge that very few criminal defense lawyers ever achieve. Prior to law school, Mr....

George C. Creal, Jr., P.C. is a law firm concentrating in DUI Defense and Personal Injury and Work Injury Prosecution. We have represented thousands of individuals arrested for DUI, secured over 100 not guilty jury verdicts for our clients and secured millions of dollars in settlements and judgments for those injured at work and through the negligence of others. As reflected in our 5 star client reviews across the internet, our dedication to customer service and the well-being of our clients are second to none. Rated AV Preeminent on Martindale.com and 10.0/10.0 on Avvo.com. If you are in Metro Atlanta...

Handling contested DUI cases for nearly 40 years, the name "Bubba Head" is synonymous with aggressive criminal defense. Mr. Head has trained thousands of criminal defense attorneys across America. He also started the first Internet Legal Directory (www.DrunkDrivingDefense.com) for DWI-DUI defense attorneys in 1999. This original directory was designed to help consumers seeking a top-rated DUI-DWI law firm to locate that person without "taking a chance" on the quality of their legal representation. In 2014, Mr. Head launched a new brand for this national directory of superb-rated DUI-DWI lawyers, TEAMDUI.com. This easy to remember URL name and toll free...

Parag Y. Shah is a personal injury and criminal defense attorney in Atlanta, Georgia. He graduated from Rhodes College in 2003 and went on to receive his law degree from Ohio Northern University in 2006. After doing indigent work and practicing with a small firm, Mr. Shah started his own law firm, The Shah Law Firm, specializing in personal injury and criminal defense. Mr. Shah is a member of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association, the American Association of Justice, the Solo and Small Firm Section of the Atlanta Bar Association, the Georgia Criminal Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers,...

Criminal law addresses the government's prosecution of individuals who have been accused of committing a crime. Such laws may be federal, state, or local. The prosecution represents the people of a particular jurisdiction, and acts on behalf of the government by bringing a case against an accused. Under the U.S. Constitution, a person accused of a crime may have the right to a criminal defense attorney during interrogations and certain other times before and during a trial.

Whether you are under police investigation, have been arrested, or are facing charges, having an advocate familiar with the criminal justice system.

Most jurisdictions classify crimes as felonies or misdemeanors, with felonies being the more serious offenses with the possibility of more severe sentences. Some criminal lawyers focus on a specific area of criminal defense law, such as white-collar crime, drug offenses, theft crimes, or violent crimes. You should consult with a criminal defense lawyer early on in the process to preserve options, such as diversion programs or plea bargains.

When hiring a criminal defense attorney, you should evaluate the experience and fee structure of the attorney. Some offer a free consultation to discuss your case.

Accomplice liability:
If a person aids, assists, or encourages another in the commission of a crime, they are criminally liable as an accomplice to the crime.

Self-defense:
The claim that an act otherwise criminal was legally justifiable because it was necessary to protect a person or property from the threat or action of another.